LHC dismisses petition seeking disqualification of Sheikh Rasheed

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has dismissed a petition seeking disqualification of Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed from membership of the National Assembly.

A bench of the LHC after hearing over the maintainability of the plea declared the constitutional petition against the lawmaker as being non-maintainable.

Petitioner contended that the AML chief had announced to step down as member of the National Assembly while addressing a protest rally staged by the joint opposition earlier this month, but later he backtracked from the decision.

He said Sheikh Rasheed lied to the public about his intention of resigning from his seat in the parliament . Thus, the petitioner, argued he had rendered himself disqualified under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The court was prayed to disqualify him from membership of the assembly and direct the Election Commission of Pakistan to declare his seat as vacant.

The AML chief had announced resignation from his seat in the National Assembly at Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s joint protest rally on Mall Road in Lahore.

Later, he told a press conference that he was still willing to submit his resignation, but Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has advised him to wait for a period of one week.